Question about ellipses?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Danalynn

NEVER give up!!!!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
861
Reaction score
118
Age
52
Location
Troy, Ohio
I did a search, but couldn't find the info I was looking for, so here's my question:


What is the proper way to use ellipses???


I thought that if the ellipses came in the middle of the sentence . . . it should be a 3 dot ellipses.

And if it came at the end of a sentence, it should be a 4 dot ellipses. . . .

Is this correct, or can you great folks on here fill me in on the proper way to use them?


ANY info about ellipses will be fantastic.

;)
 

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
29,138
Reaction score
8,563
Location
Toronto
Website
ktcraig.com
also it should be a space after the 3 dots. I believe word puts the space in now?
 

Danalynn

NEVER give up!!!!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
861
Reaction score
118
Age
52
Location
Troy, Ohio
I'm just glad that it said "ellipses" and not "enemas" like I thought at first.

Eeek! I don't think those would work in my sentences at all. he he

:roll:
 

Danalynn

NEVER give up!!!!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
861
Reaction score
118
Age
52
Location
Troy, Ohio
also it should be a space after the 3 dots. I believe word puts the space in now?

Yes. For 3 dots it should be: space dot space dot space dot space

And for 4 dots it should be: dot space dot space dot space dot

RIGHT?
 

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
29,138
Reaction score
8,563
Location
Toronto
Website
ktcraig.com
No... I meant a space after the third dot... like this.
 

alleycat

Still around
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
72,873
Reaction score
12,224
Location
Tennessee
Three in the middle and four at the end would be correct. I would use a space after the last word and before the beginning of an ellipsis at the end of a sentence . . . like . . . .
 
Last edited:

Danalynn

NEVER give up!!!!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
861
Reaction score
118
Age
52
Location
Troy, Ohio
WONDERFUL article, Alleycat! THANK YOU!
:e2flowers

This is what I was thinking for the dot space dot space dot space dot:

When combining a fully quoted sentence with a partially quoted sentence, or with a second, but nonconsecutive quoted sentence, place a period at the end of the fully quoted sentence, followed by a space, an ellipsis, another space, and the remainder of the quoted material. Do not place a space before a period at the end of a fully quoted sentence.

But I didn't know that sometimes you should have a space before the first dot, too:

When placing an ellipsis at the end of a quotation to indicate the omission of material, use four points -- a three-point ellipsis and a period. The ellipsis should follow a blank space.

THANKS for the info, everybody!
 

alleycat

Still around
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
72,873
Reaction score
12,224
Location
Tennessee
By the way, if you weren't already aware of it, you probably want to turn off the auto formating of ellipsis on Word, or whatever program you're using.
 

jannawrites

no, really
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
893
Reaction score
3,207
Location
shh... I'm thinking...
I've never seen four . . . .

Not in published works or novels, anyway; only in casual forum posts and e-mails. I just guessed it to be an oversight when that fourth little period tagged along at the end.

I was taught and have always used an ellipsis as such... with no commas, and immediately following the last letter of the last word. It just looks right to me. But I'd seen some discussion about it, here at AW, with different opinions (and professional takes) expressed. So I started paying attention to the novels I read. In nearly every one, the ellipsis (no matter what its purpose or intention) appears formatted as . . . spaces between, and centered.
 

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
13,979
Reaction score
1,533
Location
Wisconsin's (sore) thumb
Website
www.firefromthesky.org
I've seen the four aplenty, been catching up on my Harry Potter reading and Rowling's overuse is getting to me [insert greenish smiley]. I have also seen some specifications for the dotses in submission guidelines, so beware. The generally preferred model that I have observed is with no spaces between the dots. My eyes certainly prefer that, but some typsetters evidently have other ideas.
 

veronie

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
465
Reaction score
58
Location
Ocala, Florida
Website
www.preferredword.com
Think of an ellipses as a three-letter word, except it's dots instead of letters, every time you use it.

That's right, only and always three.

Where does the fourth dot come from? That's not part of the ellipses. That's the period (final stop) from the preceding sentence.

(And I think the formating you use as far as spaces between the dots will vary with publications. For the newspaper I work for, we use half spaces between the dots.)
 
Last edited:

NeverEndingStory

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Messages
426
Reaction score
8
Location
SoCal
Hi y'all. Just thought I'd chime in because I had questions about this topic in the past. (I'm usually posting on the freelancers' board.)

The AP Stylebook states the following: In general, treat an ellipsis as a three-letter word, constructed with three periods and two spaces as shown ( ... )

Any in-between spaces typically referred to as "thin" spaces and only used with certain computer programs.

With regard to using a fourth dot, it's not technically correct according to AP, or IMHO. I agree with Veronie in that it's probably a period followed by an ellipsis. AP Stylebook uses this example from a condensed speech by President Nixon:

"Good Evening. ...
In all the decisions I have made in my public life I have always tried to do what is best for the nation. ...


Notice the space after the end stop/period prior to the ( ... )
 
Last edited:

dobiwon

Planning to retire for the 5th time
Poetry Book Collaborator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
1,839
Reaction score
556
Location
Bon Air, VA
Website
magind7.wixsite.com
By the way, Word actually counts an ellipsis as a word in its word count feature if it's separated from the previous word by a space. It doesn't count it if it follow the word without any space. So "word ... next word" counts as 4 words, but "word... next word" counts as 3.
 

Constantine K

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
Messages
188
Reaction score
14
Location
C-town
I don't use a fourth dot. Most books I read only use three, even with complete sentences. I do see four dots every now and then, though.

I'm assuming a copy editor would change it to whatever the publishers standards are, anyway.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.